Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



No. 680,700; g Patented Aug. 20, mm. .1. T. CDWLEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 19, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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JAMES T. COl/VLEY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSONCONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWVARK,

NEW JERSEY.

PN EUWlATlC iDESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

GATIGN forming part of Letters Patent- E'lo. 680,700, dated August 20,1901.

Application filed January 19, 1900. ScrialNo.1,975. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. COWLEY, of Lowell, in the county ofMiddlesen and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Pneumatic-Despatch-Tube Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vacuum pneumatic-despatchapparatus; and the object is to shift the air-current from one tube toanother for despatching carriers, so that one current of air may be usedfor any number of tubes. By this arrangement the carriers may bedespatched through anyone of a series of tubes bya single current ofair, as the air is used in but one tube at one time.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsnvhich illustrate a construction embodyingmy invention, Figure 1 is a front sectional elevation of the terminal.Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the terminal. Fig. 3is a top plan view with the chute in section. Fig. at is a sectionalview showing the interior of the valve-box with one of the valves open.Fig. 5 is a detail view of the catch for holding the valve open with thecatch disengaged from the valve-holding mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detailview of the catch for holding the valve open with the catch engaged withthe valve-holding mechanism.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

A represents a terminal, to which is connected the transmission-tube B,having its upper end closed by the valve O,which is held normally closedby the suction of the air Within the tube B and is opened by the impactof the carrier as it passes out from the tube B into the chute D, fromwhich the carrier is delivered to a suitable receptacle. Thetransmission-tube B is provided at its upper end with a series ofperforations E, through which the air passes into the valve-box E". Thelever K is provided with an arm K, to which is pivoted the sleeve Kextending downwardly within the valve-box E. Within the sleeve K is arod K and the lower end of this rod is pivoted at K to the arm Kextending outwardly from the lever K. This lever K is pivoted at K tothe lugs K projecting upwardly within the valve-box E. On the outer endof the lever K is mounted the valve M, which is loosely pivoted to thelever K" at lvl. This valve M is adapted to close the upper end of thetube F when the catch N, which is mounted on the side of the lever K isdisengaged from the catch N, as shown in Fig. 2. The catch N is securedto the shaft N and is held in its raised position by the spring N oneend of which is secured to the shaft N and the opposite end is socuredto one of the lugs K The tube F is adapted to be closed by the valve 0,of similar construction and operated by similar mechanism to the onejust described.

The operation is as follows: Assuming that it is desired to despatch acarrier through the transmissioirtuhe F, the lever K, connected to thevalve H, closing the opening G, will be raised. As the lever K is raisedthe arm K, connected to said lever, will be lowered and will movedownwardly with it the tube K and also the rod K within said tube. Therod K being pivoted to the arm K at K on the lever K the arm K will belowered also and the lever K carrying the valve 0, will be raised to theposition shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. With the valve 0 in this positionthe carrier may be dropped into the tube F through the opening G, afterwhich the valve H will be closed without aitecting the valve 0, as thevalveO will be held in its raised position by the catch N, engaging withthe catch N, mounted on the inside of the lever K, which carries saidvalve. The valve 0 will thus remain open until it is desired to despatcha carrier through the tube F or any other tube of the series, and thecurrent will continue to pass through the tube F, and any number ofcarriers may be despatched in succession through the tube F withoutdisturbing the valve 0. When it is desired to despatch a carrier throughthe tube F, the lever K, carrying the valve H, covering the opening G,will be raised and the arm K on the lever 1-1 will be lowered, movingdown, with it the tube K and also the rod K Within said tube. This rod Kbeing pivoted to the arm K on thelever K, the lever K will be raised,carrying with it the valve M. As the lever K rises the catch N, securedto said lever, will force backwardly the catch N, and the continuedmovement of the lever K will release the catch N on the shaft N andallow the valve 0 to drop, closing the opening end of thetransmission-tube F. The further movement of the lever K will cause thecatch N to engage with the catch N and retain the lever K and the valveM in their raised positions, thus leaving the end of thetransmission-tube F open to receive a carrier when dropped into the saidtube through the opening G in. the valve-box E. It will thus be seenthat as the valve M, closing the tube F, is opened the valve 0, closingthe tube F, is closed, and the current of air will be changed frompassing down through the tube F so that it will pass through the tube Finstead until it is desired to again despatch a carrier through the tubeF, when the valve 0 will again be raised, as previously described, andthe valve M will be closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a series oftransmission-tubes, a returntube, an inclosure forming a communicationbetween said transmission and return tubes, and means for closing theends of the transmission-tubes.

2. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a series oftransmission-tubes, a returntube, an inclosure forming a communicationbetween said transmission and return tubes, valves for closing the endsof the transmission-tubes,openin gs in said inclosure in alinement withsaid transmission-tubes, and means. for closing said openings.

3. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a series oftransmission-tubes, a returntube, an inclosure forming a communicationbetween said transmission and return tubes, valves for closing the endsof the transmission-tubes, and mechanism for holding one of thetransmission-tube valves open at a time.

4. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a series oftransmission-tubes, a returntube, an inclosure forming a communicationbetween said transmission and return tubes, valves for closing the endsof the transmission-tubes, openings in said in closure in alinement withsaid transmission-tubes, valves for closing said openings, and mechanismfor holding one of the transmission-tube valves open at a time.

5. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a series oftransmission-tubes, a returntube, an inclosure forming a communicationbetween said transmission and return tubes, valves for closing the endsof the transmission tubes, openings in said inclosure in alinement withsaid transmission tubes, valves for closing said openings, mechanism forholding one of the transmission -tube valves open at a time, andmechanism cooperating with all of said transmission-tube valves wherebythe opening of one of said transmission-tube valves will close the othertransmission-tube valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of January, A. D.1900.

JAMES T. COtVLEY.

Witnesses:

A. L. MESSER, O. A. STEWART.

